Monday, 4 June 2012

Lakes and Arran trip

A very spontaneous trip, it came about with an offer of a free night at Eskdale from our buddy Mike Bell, so after some calls I also managed to get a booking at the YHA for Friday so a plan was made.
The forecast was looking good, great, fantastic, so whilst we are in the Lakes shall we hop, skip and jump to Arran, you bet!
We met Mike at Ravenglass, rude not to paddle so up the Estuary we went, we did have a look out to the bar first where we encountered a very pleasant guy who warned us that he was shortly going to detonate some explosives and it might be a good idea not to turn left, tip taken and off up the Esk estuary for a very sunny paddle.
back to the hostel and then up to Waste water for a snack and then a very fine hostel, The Woolpack for some Cumbrian Ales and bed, we had the room to ourselves, what a great day.

Mr Bell and his newly refurbished master piece a very clever guy

Driven over this bridge many times a joy to paddle under it

YHA Eskdale a great place

......and a short walk from the hostel a very excellent pub great ales and locally sourced great food

A great view and an opportunity for a snack

Mike and Ga

Up and out for a walk on what I can only describe as a scorching day, left and up,great views and with the heat a tough day, a few folks about, back showered, red faces and back to the Woolpack for some subsidence.
Back to the hostel 2230 evidence of life but beds not made "I predicted a riot", some guys came in quietly and on their bed lights went to bed, great....not Shrek bound in lights on and off, sorry I did have to use the fuck word bloody inconsiderate mong!

A tad busy on the Pike

Our farewells to Mr Bell and off to Arran we go and another fab day, 1515 ferry booked into the terrific SYHA at Lochranza and off for an evening paddle, seals, Porpoise and thousands of jelly fish in all shapes and sizes.

Newton Castle as we paddle out and turn right from the Loch

Back in

What a great Hostel

Now that's something I have never seen before

What a great sunset that's special

What shall we do today.....turn left out of the Loch

Clear seas

We landed here for dinner, well within the tide line, tops off butties out, I could hear footsteps approaching an elderly guy hat and wellies coming some 300 yds towards us, hey might be a Rockpool fan. In a broad Scottish accent "I,m the bearer of bad news" Now can that be some family member at home unwell, stocks and shares are secure what could he mean?..." This is private land you can move over there".......Right we will immediately stop eating our butties put all our gear on and paddle 50 yds away and the tide is nearly up to our boats anyway....NOT. "We are having lunch and will go after that" About turn and he walked off realising he had wasted the walk there and back idiot could he not clearly see what we were doing.

He shortly came back and I managed to run for it Ga,s punishment for having lunch on a PRIVATE beach on Arran not a pretty sight on my return!!

We have turned both Right and Left what shall we do today...Holy Island. Straight across the Brodick Bay and towards the Island with a slight headwind.
It appeared to take ages to paddle along the East side of the Island some choppy seas on the South side and lunch near to the Buddhist Centre for World Peace and Health.
It had been 13 miles since we launched too long still you learn.
A magical place, and slight winds and tide to take us back another long day but with a reward this time Mackerel caught for tea.

Mike Webb branching out?

First catch of the day

Man on a rock

A very tame wood carved seal

Grubs up hey I have a bottle of white chilling does it get better

Views from Holy Island.

Kings Cave

Assume its a large sand eel Ga caught a few and used one for bait, more mackerel for tea then,mmm

Last day for a paddle so back to the South side of the Island, a dull and misty start some rain but we did well to avoid the bad weather and of course the sun shone by the end of the day, more fish, we had some waiting in the fridge for a third free evening meal so it was gifts for our excellent hosts at the SYHA.

Pladda Island and Ailsa Craig

Lighthouse on Pladda Island

If its not a head then its some part of the boat he cuts off

Caves and waterfall to the right

What a fantastic week, weather, accommodation, scenery, fresh fish, Porpoise, Otters, seals and of course great company we where so lucky, and the midges scale was about a scale 3/4 10 being unbearable thank you Arran